Vroom! Cars birthday decoration ideas ahead! Surprise your little motor enthusiast with this simple cars birthday theme that they will love.
With so many things that go into party planning, allow me to help you eliminate one of the tasks off your list, Decorations. But not just any decoration, cars birthday theme decorations!
KIDS LOVE CARS. And if your kid is just as enthusiastic about cars as mine, you know the joy and excitement it brings to them. Cars are fast, move in many directions, and can be loud (this is my son’s favorite)!
So when my soon-to-be three-year-old asked for a cars birthday party, my go-to place to search for ideas is always Pinterest! And what caught my attention (and his, cause we were exploring together, lol) was this muted retro race car-themed party.
Our gathering would only consist of myself, my husband, son, and daughter. I did not want to spend a ton of money on decorations. However, I did not want that to be why he couldn’t get the cars birthday backdrop he had his heart set on.
In this post, you will learn how to recreate this fun simple cars birthday theme, where to purchase cars birthday decorations on a budget, and how to create my version of the cars birthday backdrop. Plus, ideas for cutlery, plates, table covers, and cars birthday cake toppers!
Whether you are setting up for a party of four or fifty, you will find everything you will need here to decorate for your child’s special day.
This post is all about ideas on how to decorate for a cars birthday party your car enthusiast is sure to love!
Cars Birthday Decorations
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Where To Purchase Cars Birthday Party Decorations
Although the Pinterest link to Momo party gives you a variety of cars birthday party decorations for purchase, the costs are relatively high. But you could easily find cheaper options if you plan a couple of months early.
Etsy has multiple sellers that sell similar decorations to those in the image. But, shipping would take about three to four weeks. YIKES! I only had two weeks to plan. This was my mistake.
So obviously, the next best place to search for decorations with 2-day shipping as a prime member…
Yes! You guessed it, Amazon.
Amazon Car Birthday Theme Decorations
Amazon is a great place to shop when you are short on time. You can’t go wrong as a prime member with fast shipping and quick deliveries.
But I had something specific in mind, and Amazon did not offer any cars theme kits. The solution, buy the pieces separately.
Don’t you worry, though! I already did the hard part for you. So, here are the products I used to create my son’s Cars birthday backdrop.
Cars Birthday Backdrop Balloon Garland
You don’t have to be a professional decorator to create an eye-catching backdrop. Just follow the steps below, and you too can mimic this fun cars birthday backdrop.
What You Will Need:
- Pastel Balloons
- Grey Ballons
- Checkered Balloons
- Balloon Arch Decorating Strip Kit for Garland
- Balloon Pump or Manual Pump
- Balloon Tying Tool Device (if not included with the balloon pump or manual pump)
- Number Balloon (Optional)
Cars Birthday Backdrop Garland Tutorial
1. Determine The Length Of Garland
Measure the width of the space you would like to hang your balloon garland. Take into consideration the height as well if you plan on doing a balloon arch.
2. Inflate Balloons
Separate your red, yellow, light blue, white, and grey balloons. Then inflate and tie four 10 inch balloons of each color, three 8 inch balloons of each color, and three 6 inch balloons of each color.
You can choose to make your balloons bigger or smaller to give more staggering proportions.
Tip: I suggest using a balloon tying tool to tie balloons without hurting your fingers.
3. Attach Balloons To The Balloon Decorating Strip.
Fasten the tied balloon through one of the openings in the strip. Mix the giant balloons with the small balloons.
Tip: Use the larger holes for balloons measuring greater than 9 inches and smaller holes for balloons measuring less than 9 inches.
4. Create Balloon Clusters
Inflate two to three 4 inch balloons (in whichever color you want) and tie them together. Use clusters to fill in any big openings. Make as many cluster balloons as needed. This will give your ballon arch dimension and variety.
5. Fill In The Gaps
If necessary, fill in the gaps with balloons, using balloon dots or tape to keep them in place.
6. Add Checkered Balloons
Inflate checkered balloons and tape the tail of the balloon back. Attach onto the garland with glue dots or tape.
It was difficult to attach these aluminum balloons to the decorating stripe, so I found that taping them onto the wall was the best option.
7. Inflate Number Balloon (Optional)
Blow up the number balloon of your choice. Place it near the garland or on a dessert table for added decor.
{Related Post: How to Create a Flower Wall Backdrop on a Budget}
How To Make “Speeding Into…” Traffic Sign
I used whatever craft materials I had at home to save time from going to the store and money. Cardstock, yellow scotch tape, black masking tape, a pencil, and a ruler were all I used to make this simple birthday traffic sign. But, you could make this sign even cheaper with a yellow posterboard from The Dollar Tree.
What You Will Need:
- Yellow Cardstock or Yellow Posterboard from The Dollar Tree
- (You can also purchase the posterboard in bulk from Amazon for an even cheaper option)
- Yellow Scotch Tape
- Black Masking Tape
- Pencil
- Ruler
Yellow Traffic Sign Tutorial
1. Assemble Yellow Traffic Sign
Cardstock: Assemble your yellow traffic sign by taking five sheets of yellow cardstock. Take one sheet and cut it in half vertically. Tape the sheets together with yellow scotch tape on one side. This makes a 21.25″ x 22″ sign.
Tip: Try to align the sheets as closely together as possible to make the sign appear uniform. Do not overlap the sheets.
Posterboard: Using a pencil and ruler, take your 22″ x 28″ yellow poster board and trim the 28″ side down to 22″ to make a perfect square.
2. Black Border
Create a diamond border about 4 inches away from the edge and 1 inch thick. Using thin black masking tape made this project much easier because I did not have to measure the thickness or fill the lines.
3. Design Your Sign
Sketch out how you would like your sign to look. You could use a black marker or paint for this portion.
I did not have any black markers/paint on hand, so I continued to use duct tape to fill in my wording. Sure, it looks boxy and isn’t perfectly aligned, but I found it gave my letters some character.
{Related Post: How to Make a DIY Boxwood Backdrop that Stands Out!}
Simple Cars Birthday Theme Cutlery, Plates, Table Covers, And Cars Birthday Cake Toppers Ideas
What’s a party without matching decorations.
Want to make your event more engaging and impress your guests? Add some unique touches by getting decorative plates, utensils, table covers, and cars birthday cake toppers to take your party to the next level.
Here are some simple cars birthday theme product ideas.
Disposable Cutlery
There are never enough forks, spoons, and knives for a party. With appetizers, entrees, and desserts, you can expect each guest will go through a few flatwares.
But why reach for your typical white fork and spoon? Add a fun spin using cutlery in different colors. Here are a few of my favorite options.
You can never go wrong with a solid color. With busy checkered print, black tableware keeps everything cohesive and not over the top.
Don’t want just one color? Why not have it all with this multicolor flatware set. Mix and match cutlery or stagger each tableware with a specific shade for a delightful and creative table setting.
Table Covers
Table covers not only compliment your party decorations but also help to prevent spills and make for easy clean-up! And with youngsters running around, these are sure to help with that mess or two.
Here are some car theme table covers to help keep your tabletops clean and protect them from food!
No race car theme birthday is complete without checkered printed decorations for the win. Lead the racers to the table with this winning checkered table cover.
As Lightning Mcqueen would say, “Checkered flag here I come!”
Another great option is this black racetrack table cover. Create your speed-way table setting using these car centerpieces. The kids won’t ever want to leave their seats!
Want a table cover with a little more character? This awesome table cover with red race cars is an excellent match for our cars birthday themed backdrop.
Cars Birthday Cake Toppers
What is a party without cake? A staple at many birthday gatherings to celebrate a milestone in one’s life. So why not make it a memorable one with these entertaining toppers.
Whether you decide on a simple checkered cake or an extravagantly decorated cake, this topper makes it easy to style with any cars birthday cake.
If you want to keep the muted tones consistent, this 9-piece eye-catching cake topper is a great option! Plus, because the pieces are separated, you can design the top of your cake however you would like.
We can’t forget this Disney cars birthday cake topper. My son’s personal favorite. This hand-made and preassembled topper is made of high-quality glitter cardstock (meaning the glitter will not fall off), a must-have for any Disney cars birthday party!
{Related Post: Insanely Easy Manzanita Tree Centerpiece Perfect For Any Occasion}
Disney Cars Birthday Decorations
Is your kid a Disney’s Cars fan? Check out these additional decor pieces!
We did a mix of muted race car colors for my son’s mini party with Disney Cars birthday decorations. He LOVES Disney’s Cars.
He has these Cars TY beanie baby stuffed toys that he carries with him everywhere. So, I decided to add them as part of his birthday decorations.
And if your child is a huge fan, they are sure to love them at their birthday gathering.
Place these cute plush characters near their Disney Cars birthday cake, and I guarantee it will be a big hit!
Here are the Disney Cars birthday decorations we used for our little man’s party.
Note: Red Lightning Mcqueen is pretty hard to find brand new. We bought ours used on Mercari if you don’t mind previously used toys.
Instead of a happy birthday sign, we opted for this Disney cars birthday cake number topper with Lightning and his pales, Cruz and Sally.
My son loved seeing the characters since we had a simple cake. But what he loved more was the number “3” because it made him feel like a big boy.
You can’t have a Cars party without Lightning Mcqueen’s best friend, Tow(Ta) Mater, but you can call him Mater without the Ta. Let this rusty old tow truck haul you into some birthday fun!
Now we can’t forget Cruz Ramirez! The female sports car that started as McQueen’s instructor soon became the first trainee under Lightning to win a Piston Cup.
Who would not want to hang out with Cruz with her hard-working and uplifting personality?
Last but not least, Blue Lightning McQueen. THE STAR OF THE SHOW.
After realizing he is no longer the fastest car on the track, McQueen decides to stop sporting his red look and goes with a blue hue that matches his trainer Doc Hudson, showing Lightning’s transition from a racer to a trainer.
Can you tell I’ve watched Cars multiple times a day? HA!
I would love to see your version of this Cars Birthday Party!
Leave a comment or tag me on Facebook or Instagram @araudesigns #araudesigns if you tried it!
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This Post Is All About How To Decorate For A Cars Birthday Party!
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